ROADRUNNERS (2–2) vs. SAN JOSE STATE (3–0)
NOVEMBER 24, 2010  •  7:00 p.m.
THE ICARDO CENTER  •  BAKERSFIELD, CALIF.
ESPN RADIO 1230 AM  •  NO TELEVISION FOR THIS GAME

SPARTAN SPECIFICS
San Jose State is flying to start the season, including a big win at Oregon State Saturday to improve to 3–0 for the first time since 2001…it's the first time the Spartans have posted 3 wins before Thanksgiving…Sr. G Adrian Oliver and Fr. G Keith Shamburger led the way with 19 points each against the Ducks…for the season, Oliver tops the Spartan scoring table at 26.0 ppg…Sr. G Justin Graham is next at 11.3 ppg while Shamburger adds 11.0 ppg…SJSU is out–rebounding its opposition by 4.4 rpg…Jr. F Wil Carter is tops on the boards at 10.0 rpg.

SERIES HISTORY

• San Jose State leads the all–time series 3–2.
• The series is tied 1–1 in Bakersfield.
• This will be the first time the teams have met in the Icardo Center.
• CSUB defeated the Spartans in Rabobank Arena, 61–55, in 2009.
• San Jose State won in the Civic Auditorium, 78–63, in 1982.
• This will be just the fifth time the teams have met as NCAA Division I opponents.

PREVIOUS MEETINGS
2010    at SJSU 84, 'RUNNERS 80 (ot)
2009    at 'RUNNERS 61, SJSU 55
2008    at SJSU 71, 'RUNNERS 56
2008    SJSU 78, at 'RUNNERS 63
1982    'RUNNERS 42, at SJSU 41

WHEN LAST WE MET: The 'Runners and Spartans played a barn–burner in San Jose last season with home team prevailing in overtime, 84–80. Senior forward Trent Blakley scored all 21 of his points after intermission to help CSUB erase a nine–point deficit with less than four minutes remaining. The 'Runners also got a 20–point, 13–rebound double–double from Donald Johnson (Lancaster/Eastern Arizona), his first of the season.

It wasn't enough, however, as Adrian Oliver scored the first four points of overtime en route to a game–high 30–point night.

ICARDO CENTER HISTORY WILL BE MADE: The 'Runners have already announced they will be moving their home games back to the Icardo Center for the 2011–12 season. Wednesday's sneak preview will be the first time the 'Runners have played an NCAA Division I opponent in the building.

HOME SWEET HOME: The 'Runners hope to carry on the Icardo Center legacy they established while playing at the NCAA Division II level. Few teams enjoyed the home court advantage CSUB did in the Icardo Center from 1989–2006, when they compiled a ridiculous 165–16 (.912) record in the building.

ROAD SWEET ROAD: Of course, the road has been kind to the 'Runners so far in 2010–11 as well. CSUB already has two wins outside of Bakersfield this season. At the Division I level, CSUB has never won more than four road games (2008) in a single season.

BAKERSFIELD .500: Saturday's win at Pepperdine brought the Roadrunner record back to .500 at 2–2. A win Wednesday versus San Jose State would allow the 'Runners to equal their best start at the Division I level (3–2 in 2009).

WORKING OVERTIME: The 'Runners have been solid in overtime during Keith Brown's tenure on the CSUB bench. Nov. 14th's extra period win at Sacramento State brings CSUB's OT record under Brown to 11–6. Despite that record, the win snapped a four–game overtime losing streak.

FOUL PLAY/TONING IT DOWN: In his season outlook, Head Coach Keith Brown listed depth as a key component of the 2010–11 'Runner squad. Following a trend that seems to be sweeping college basketball in the early going this season, that depth is being tested thanks to a significant increase in the number of fouls called each game. CSUB was whistled for 79 fouls in its first three games (with seven foul outs). That's an average of nearly 27 fouls per game. To put that in perspective, since making the jump to NCAA Division I play, prior to this season the 'Runners had committed as many as 28 fouls in a game just four times.

Almost needless to say, the very next game CSUB and Pepperdine combine for just 30 fouls (13 for CSUB) and both teams shot only 18 free throws apiece. All numbers were by far season lows for both CSUB and its opponents.

SAVAGE ON THE BOARDS: As advertised, junior forward Rashad Savage (Philadelphia/Odessa JC) has been a force in the paint early in his Roadrunner career. He needed just three games to notch his first double–double as a Roadrunner, scoring 10 points to go along with his team season–high 15 rebounds against Southern Utah last Wednesday.

By grabbing a game–high 12 boards Saturday at Pepperdine, Savage has now reached double figures in his last three games, bringing his season average to 11.5 rebounds per game.

CONTRASTING STYLES: The 'Runners and Spartans have come at their success in different ways so far in 2010–11. CSUB is out–shooting its opponents from the floor but is being out–rebounded by 6.2 rebounds per game. San Jose State, meanwhile, is being out–shot (and shooting just .36 percent itself), but is out–rebounding its foes by 4.4 rebounds per game.

BROWN ON THE BLOCKS: Senior big man Cory Brown (Lakeside/El Capitan HS) blocked two shots in each of his last two games to bring his career total to 57. He is now tied with Terri Miller for ninth and is just one behind Russell Jarvis for eighth.

For the record, Jamal Livingston is the all–time leader, needing just two seasons in blue and gold (1999–00) to collect 107 blocks.

WHAT A STEAL: Stephon Carter (Garces HS) collected one more steal at Pepperdine, running his streak of consecutive games with a steal to 14 dating back to last season. He owns a team–leading eight for the season and 58 over his one season plus four games at the collegiate level. Those steals tie him with Andre McCollum and Paul Phifer for No. 34 on the CSUB career list. While 34th might not sound impressive, if he keeps up his current pace, he will end his sophomore season No. 6 all–time at CSUB with 115 steals.

PLAYING DOWNTOWN: The preceding teaser isn't a reference to the 'Runners playing their games downtown in Rabobank Arena, but rather to their proclivity for scoring from long range. Shooting at a 36 percent clip, the 'Runners already have 23 three–point field goals through the first three games. Their 7.5 three–pointer per game average would be their highest ever.

KEEPING IT ON THE DOWN LOW: Last Wednesday's loss to Southern Utah was an aberration given the generally solid CSUB defensive effort. Including Saturday's 66–64 win at Pepperdine, the 'Runners have won 17 of their last 28 when holding an opponent under 70. They've won their last nine games when holding opponents to 60 or fewer points

HE LOOKS SPRY FOR 100: Head Coach Keith Brown picked up his 100th career victory with the 82–79 win at Idaho State on Feb. 15. It was his 59th victory as the head coach at CSUB. Although they don't count on his official record, he also had three wins filling in for then Head Coach Henry Clark.

A HALF NOTE: The 'Runners put together two halves to make one victory in their Feb. 3, 2010 win over UC Irvine. They led at halftime, 28–21. By then winning the second half, 40–34, the 'Runners won both halves of a game for the first time since defeating Sacramento State on Nov. 27, 2008. It marks the only time they have pulled that off in the last 50 games—despite having 14 victories over that run.

THE OTHER HALF NOTE: Oddly, the 'Runners won at Sacramento State on Nov. 14 despite not winning either half. That's because the game was tied at both the half and, of course, at the end of regulation.

WE MEET AGAIN: The Roadrunners entered 2010–11 with a 133–122 record all–time versus this season's opponents. Note that many of those games were played while both CSUB and their respective foes were competing at the NCAA Division II level.

39 YEARS OF CSUB BASKETBALL: The 2010–2011 season marks the 40th anniversary of Roadrunner men's basketball at CSUB. Since the program's inception in 1971–72, the Roadrunners have posted an impressive all–time record of 754–372 (.670).

LOOKS LIKE WE MADE IT: The CSUB Athletics program successfully completed its five–year transition to active NCAA Division I status in August. All Roadrunner teams are now fully postseason eligible at the Division I level.\